spasmodic laryngitis

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Spasmodic Laryngitis (noun)

Definition: Spasmodic laryngitis is a medical condition that primarily affects infants and young children. It involves the inflammation (swelling) of the larynx (voice box), leading to symptoms such as harsh coughing, hoarseness (a rough or raspy voice), fever, and difficulty breathing.

Easy Explanation:

• Spasmodic means sudden and involuntary (happening without control).
• Laryngitis is the inflammation of the larynx.

Usage Instructions:

• You would typically use this term in a medical context when discussing health issues in children.
• It is important to use this term when talking to doctors or healthcare providers about a child's symptoms.

Example Sentence:

• "My baby has spasmodic laryngitis, so we need to take him to the doctor because he is coughing a lot and has a hoarse voice."

Advanced Usage:

• In a more advanced context, you might say: "The pediatrician diagnosed the child with spasmodic laryngitis, which is often triggered by a viral infection."

Word Variants:

• Laryngitis (noun): The general term for inflammation of the larynx, which can occur in anyone, not just infants.
• Spasm (noun/verb): A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle.

Different Meaning:

• The word "spasmodic" can be used outside of medical contexts to describe anything that occurs suddenly and intermittently, such as "spasmodic laughter," which means laughter that comes in sudden bursts.

Synonyms:

• Croup: A term often used to describe a similar condition in children, which involves a barking cough and can be associated with spasmodic laryngitis.
• Laryngeal inflammation: A more general term that refers to the swelling of the larynx.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• While there are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "spasmodic laryngitis," you might use phrases like:
  • "Catch a cold": This can refer to the common illnesses that might lead to conditions like laryngitis.
  • "Breathe easier": This phrase can be used when the condition improves and breathing becomes easier.

Summary:

Spasmodic laryngitis is a specific health issue in young children characterized by severe coughing and difficulty breathing due to the swelling of the larynx.

Academic

Noun

1. a disease of infants and young children; harsh coughing and hoarseness and fever and difficult breathing

Synonyms

• croup